Licheni del Kenia e del Tanganica Raccolti Dai Rev. Padri Della Consolata

Riassunto

L'Autrice ha studiato due raccolte di licheni, una del Kenya, l'altra del Tanganica, fatte dai Rev. Padri della Consolata nei pressi della loro Missioni.

Ha potuto determinare 124 entità, fra cui un genere nuova Tylophorophsis, quattro specic nuove Actinoplaca Balboi, Cyphelium Kenyanum, Tylophoropsis Nyeriana, Usnea epiphilla, e undici varietà nuove.

Ha osservato analogia fra la flora lichenica del Kenya e quella del Tanganica; e analogia di entrambe con la flora lichenica dell'Arcipelago Malese e delle Isole Filippine. Ha notato inoltre analogia fra la flora lichenica del Kenya e quelle dell'A. O. I., dell'Usambara (Congro) e dell'Uganda; e analogia fra la flora lichenica del Tanganica e quella dell'Africa Australe e dell'Africa sub-tropicale (1).     

Caratterizzazione aerosporologica del comprensorio di imola in due diverse sedi di rilevamento

Riassunto Sono stati esaminati 4 anni di campionamento aerosporologico del Comprensorio di Imola. Le rilevazioni sono state eseguite in due sedi diverse per condizioni fitogeografiche, distanti circa 6 chilometri l'una dall'altra: negli anni 1983–84 presso l'Ospedale M. Malpighi di Imola, negli anni 1986–87 nel centro della città di Imola. E' stata riscontrata una parziale sovrapposizione dei dati aerosporologici per le specie di interesse allergologico, a conferma della significatività del campionamento per valutazioni cliniche correlabili.      

Le diatomee bentoniche del porto di Palermo

Abstract

Benthic diatoms in the harbour of Palermo (Sicily).—The first results of a systematic investigation on the benthic diatoms on the fouling settlements, at four selected sites in the harbour of Palermo, are reported. Samples of comparable areas have been examined either on the fouling of vertical walls of the wharfs or on asbestos panels vertically submerged at the same place for at least eighteen months. Seventy-seven species have been found. No marked taxonomic difference is evident between the populations on the stoneworks and those on the panels.     

Costanza numerica delle cellule di purkinje del cervelletto dell'uomo in individui di varia eta'

Zusammenfassung Es wurde an mikrotomischen Schnitten des Kleinhirns die Zahl der Purkinjeschen Zellen pro mm Länge bei 10 Menschen von verschiedenem Alter (von 6–88 Jahren) berechnet; für jeden Fall wurden etwa 16000–18000 Zellen berechnet. Im Gegensatz zu den Ergebnissen von Ellis habe ich keine Abnahme der Zellenzahl mit fortschreitendem Alter beobachtet; die Variationen der Zellenzahl waren unbedeutend und standen jedenfalls keineswegs in Beziehung zu dem Alter; bei 6jährigen Kindern waren die erhaltenen Werte etwas höher, d. h. waren die Zellen dichter; dies ist erklärlich, wenn man bedenkt, daß bei Kindern trotz der geringeren Größe des Kleinhirns die Zahl der Neuronen ebenso groß ist als beim Erwachsenen.     

Embriogenesi nucellare in ovuli non sviluppati di alcune cultivar di arancio del gruppo navel

Abstract

Nucellar embryogenesis in undeveloped ovules in some navel orange cultivars. - Nucellar embryogenesis has been studied in some cultivars of navel orange, Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck. Histological observations have been carried out in undeveloped ovules excised 2, 4, 6, 8 months after anthesis. Ovules under study derived a) from flowers naturally pollinated or hand-pollinated with pollen of Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.; b) from emasculated flowers, and c) from flowers deprived of stigma. In absence of pollination, as well as in absence of fertilization, the nucellar embryos reached the globular stage.     

Variazioni delle popolazioni di microfunghi del suolo durante il post-incendio di Monte Argentario

Abstract

Post-fire sequences in microfungal soil populations in Mount Argentario (Toscana region). A research program was conducted to investigate the post-fire sequences of microfungal populations in Thyrrenian Coastal soils. This paper reports the results of the first year of that study. An initial reduction of fungi was followed by a gradual reconstruction process characterized by a constant increase of colonies and species. The periodic after fire analysis permitted an initial understanding of the possible selective role of the fire and its consequences on some microfungal species.     

Studio Sul Ciclo Annuale del Fitoplancton del Lago di Piediluco (Umbria)

Abstract

Researches about the cycle of the phytoplankton in the lake of Piediluco (Umbria). — The Authors studied the phytoplanktonic productivity within an year (1960–1961) in the lake of Piediluco (Central Italy); they have tried also to bring into evidence eventual changes in the phytocoenosis of the lake, basing themselves on some phytoplanktonic analysis made by Pasquini (1924) and by Marchesoni (1940) on samples collected before that Nera River was put in the lake for hydroelectric purpose.

The lake of Piediluco, which is a relict of the ancient Pleistocenic lake (Velino lake), is prevàilingly alluvial in origin and it is the second lake of Umbria in extension, after Trasimeno lake, having a surface of Kmq. 1,52. It is situated in the plain of Rieti at 368 m. level s. l. m. and it is 19 m. deep (Fig. 1).

In 1932 this lake was exploited to have hydroelectric energy and the « Società Elettrica Terni » built the Stoney dike along Velino River and digged also a canal connecting the lake with the river; another derivation canal, which puts Nera River into the lake of Piediluco, was also digged.

Every month, from October 1960 to October 1961 in the eulimnic zone of the lake were collected qualitative (surface and vertical) and quantitative samples (at 1, 3, 5, 10, 15 and 19 m.) and some environmental factors as: temperature, contents in oxygen, in organic matter, in N-NH₄, in N-NO₃ and in P-PO₄ were studied.

After the putting of Nera River in the lake, the thermic regime changed: in summer there was a sinking and in winter a rise in temperature.

As we can see (Table I), the lake is of a tropical type and in winter it is in homothermal conditions; in summer there is a thermal stratification, which is of brief duration. The thermocline is evident only in June and July (Fig. 2).

The Table II, in which the quantities of oxygen dissolved in the water are reported, puts in evidence that the lake of Piediluco has an holomictic regime.

After the period of June, July and August, in which the oxygen contents of the deep waters is very low, there is in the late autumn the turnover which produces a complete mixing of superficial and deep waters (Fig. 3).

During the most part of the year phenomena of hypersaturation in O₂ take place in the surface (Table III): the highest amounts are reached in May, June, July and August. The highest percentage in O₂ is reached during the most part of the year in the surface waters (Fig. 4).

This high concentration is simply biologic in origin: it is due to the photosynthetic activity of phytoplankton which has numerically increased in this period.

Tables IV, V, VI and VII show the seasonal variations of the dissolved organic matter, of N-NH₄, of N-NO₃ and P-PO₄; they show also that the nutritive substances (mainly N-NO₃ and P-PO₄ which affect the productivity of the lake of Piediluco, undergo an annual cycle: a phase of consumption on the part of the algal flora living in the surface during spring and summer; a phase of production at the bottom during the summer-autumnal stratification and a winter phase of redistribution of these bottom reserves to all the mass of water owing to the late-autumnal turnover.

The qualitative (Table VIII and Table IX) and quantitative (Table 10/A and 10/B) analysis show an absolute prevalence of Diatoms during all the period in which the planktonic hauls have been carried out.

On a quantitative point of view they have a very large majority with regard to the other classes: Diatoms by themselves reaches 98%.

The Algae which tipically characterize the lake of Piediluco are: Cyclotella kuetzingiana, C. melosiroides, Fragilaria crotonensis, Synedra ulna, S. danica, S. acus, Asterionella formosa; these are followed by: Peridinium inconspicuum, P. cinctum, Dinobryon divergens, Rhizochrysis limnetica, Gloeococcus schroeteri and Closterium aciculare.

The prevalence of Diatoms during all the year is due not to one species, but to three species which characterize our lake (Table XI): in January and February there is a facies with Asterionella formosa, in April a facies with Synedra ulna and with Asterionella formosa, Cyclotella kuetzingiana, Synedra danica and Fragilaria crotonensis; in May and June a facies with Cyclotella kuetzingiana with Cyclotella melosiroides and Synedra ulna, while in August we have again a facies with Synedra ulna, and with Synedra acus and Cyclotella kuetzingiana. September and October are characterized by Synedra ulna, even though in a smaller amount.

The analysis of two qualitative hauls of surface carried out in the zone with a vegetation mainly constituted by Arundo phragmites (Table XII) put in evidence that the littoral vegetation affects the phytoplanktonic composition because it is on a qualitative point of view more rich of algal species than the eulimnic zone.

Before that Nera River was put in the lake, the phytoplankton of this lake was characterized by Peridinium cinctum and Ceratium hirundinella; now these species reduced themselves very much.

The Authors, in order to explain this modification in the algological composition, attach importance to the changing of the thermic conditions and perhaps to the increased turbulence of waters caused by the putting in of Nera River (on an average 16–17 mc/sec.).

Valuing the degree of trophism of the lake of Piediluco with the Diatom quozient (Nygaard et al.) and the Compound index (Nygaard, 1949), the lake must be considered eutrophic, but if we consider some environmental factors and the presence of some Algae, we conclude that the lake has a character tending to eutrophy.     

Sul comportamento del polmone embrionale di pollo coltivato in vitro

Riassunto L'autore ha studiato lo sviluppo in vitro del polmone embrionale di pollo, espiantato a 4 e 5 giorni di incubazione e tenuto in cultura fino ad un massimo di 5 giorni. Il processo di ramificazione dell'albero bronchiale continua in cultura, e puó essere seguito direttamente, mediante l'osservazione della cultura allo stato vivente, fino a che la ramificazione non diviene troppo complicata.L'esame istologico delle culture dimostra la comparsa di fenomeni molto simili a quelli che avvengono nelle condizioni normali di sviluppo, come viene dimostrato dal confronto fra le culture e polmoni di embrioni di pollo dal 5 ° al 10 ° giorni di incubazione. In particolare si sono osservati nelle culture: la secrezione vescicolare dell'epitelio della trachea e dei bronchi, fenomeni di migrazione cellulare attraverso l'epitelio, l'assottigliarsi dell'epitelio verso le ultime ramificazioni corrispondenti ai capillari aeriferi, il distacco di cellule dall'epitelio dei bronchi e dei piccoli rami e la loro caduta nel lume.In confronto allo sviluppo normale si osserva nelle culture una minore rapidità di ramificazione e la scomparsa dei sacchi aeriferi addominali.Ringrazio il Prof. E. Borghese, che ha seguito l'esecuzione della presente ricerca.